A Six-Week Depth Psychology Online Seminar on The Archetype of the Anchorite Tuesday Evenings 7:00 pm-8:00 pm plus optional discussion group to follow from 8:00-8:45 May 12- June 16, 2020 Sliding Scale: (see below)
"Listen my child, with the ear of your heart" - 6th Century Rule of Saint Benedict
Amongst the figures who are most known to us from Medieval history, two stand out as beacons of resilience. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-11 79) was enclosed in a monastery at the age of 8. In her extraordinary long life, she was composer, artist, theologian, botanist, natural healer, spiritual director, abbess, and counselor to politicians and religious figures alike.
In the 14th century, Julian of Norwich lived a full life as a wife and mother in England before her family was destroyed in the Black Plague. Surviving her own near-death experience, she elected to become a voluntary anchorite, and remained enclosed inside two tiny rooms attached to a local church where she "prayed without ceasing" for the welfare of the world for the rest of her life. Despite her bleak background and enduring confinement, Julian went one to write the first work in the English language penned by a woman. Her Revelations of Divine Love is a magnificent guide to finding serenity and peace in the midst of darkness and suffering and ends, astonishingly, with the utter conviction that "All shall be well".
In this six week creative seminar, we will encounter the Archetype of the Anchorite: a deep spiritual seeker whose time of confinement yields profound wisdom, creativity and contentment. Guided by the lives and words of Hildegard and Julian and their roots in contemplative monasticism, we will find a rhythm of our own during this time of enclosure so that we can embrace the transformative spiritual potential of our times and connect more deeply to our hearts.
Included in the course is an invitation to a private Facebook group for sharing your own creative work.
May 12 Week One: The Anchor of the Heart Altar, Ancestors, Nature and Symbols; How to Create Sacred Space
May 19 Week Two: The Heart's Flowering and Abundance Identifying the pathways of consolation and desolation; Veriditas and Ariditas- where we are green and juicy and where we become bitter, dry and hard of heart; the Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers May 26 Week Three: The Song of the Heart Practices of music and chant with special guests Robin O'Brien and Christopher Love
June 2 Week Four: Seeing with the Eyes of the Heart An introduction to icons, art meditation and Visio Divina
June 9 Week Five: Listening with the Ear of the Heart Lectio Divina , Poetry and Holy Reading
June 16 Week Six: The Rhythm of the Heart Finding a daily and seasonal pattern that nourishes the heart and keeps you balanced
Choose your level of contribution for the six week seminar:
$300: Seminar, group calls and spiritual direction Includes small group discussion section for Q and A from 8:00-8:450 pm PST plus one 30 minute private consultation with Kayleen Asbo at the end of the series for spiritual direction.
$240: Seminar plus group calls: includes small group discussion section for Q and A from 8:00-8:45 pm PST plus access to additional resources and links to music, movies, books and optional weekly meditation/vesper sessions
$180: Basic Course Enrollment fee- includes access to additional resources and links to music, movies, books and optional meditation/vesper sessions
$120: Lecture only
$60: Workstudy/trade student: please apply by describing what you will offer in exchange for half tuition FREE: Doctors, nurses and healthcare workers on the frontline and recovering COVID victims who are financially compromised- please tell me about your story on registration form